Witches' Brooms and Sauce (Pillsbury)

I didn't do a good job of shaping my breadsticks. Pillsbury's brooms look much better.

1 can (8 oz) refrigerated garlic breadsticks

1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil

½ c grated Parmesan cheese

2 c marinara sauce

Heat oven to 350°. Spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray. Unroll breadstick dough on work surface. Cut dough in half crosswise, and separate to make 16 strips. Place strips on cookie sheets, 1” apart. Using a small paring knife or kitchen scissors, make 4 thin cuts (2” long) on 1 end of each strip. Spread out cut ends to make bristles of each broom. Brush dough with oil; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 8-10 min or until golden brown. Serve with marinara sauce.

Marinara Sauce (Giada De Laurentils; Everyday Italian) 1 hr 10 min; Makes 2 cups.

¼ c extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

¼ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 (32-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 dried bay leaf

In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 min. Add the celery, carrots, salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 min. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Re-warm over medium heat before using.)